Persons using wheelchairs often wish to ride in a vehicle such as a bus, train, or airplane while remaining in the wheelchair. In these instances, the wheelchair must be secured to the vehicle to ensure the safety of the passenger. When the vehicle is a public bus, an additional concern is the ease by which the operator can secure and release the wheelchair so that a minimum of time is spent in this activity. Further, it is often necessary to provide a vehicle with a plurality of tie-down stations whereby a plurality of passengers in wheelchairs can be accommodated simultaneously.
Prior wheelchair tie-downs are awkward in use. For example, one such tie-down comprises a number of receptacles in the floor of a transit vehicle and an equal number of straps, each with a hook at one end for engaging the frame of the wheelchair and a lug at the opposite end for engaging one of the receptacles. This system is very difficult in use because it requires the operator first to locate the straps and then to attach the straps to the chair and the floor and adjust their lengths, which requires reaching, bending, and the like. Moreover, the straps are often not available, having been lost between uses because they are not attached to the bus when not in use, and when found, they are usually dirty from contact with the floor or storage in a box with other items. Securing the straps to the floor during periods of non-use is not feasible because their presence would restrict movement of the wheelchair into or out of the station and would present a hazard, possibly tripping others walking in the bus. Further, the heel of a high-heeled shoe is easily caught in the receptacles themselves, resulting in personal injury, property damage, and delay.